Home sweet home

Last night my youngest, 4-year-old Kahlan, talked to me over the phone and asked in a very sad quiet voice “Mommy….. when you coming home?” After a week long trip to St. Louis, I had been home for two days before leaving again for over a week. “In a couple days kiddo,” I answered to this big time momma’s girl, reminded once again how deeply our CF journey is affecting the entire family. When Erin’s care was switched to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee in July, our hospital stays became much more complicated. Paul and I could no longer tag team every other night like we could when we lived only 5 minutes from the hospital, the kids could no longer visit Erin after school or on the weekends. Instead, I took hospital duty with Erin in Milwaukee and Paul had home patrol with the 3 kids in Green Bay two hours away. Yesterday we received word that Erin has been accepted into the transplant program in St. Louis, eight hours away. This is what we have been hoping and praying for these past couple of months, and yet the excitement at the possibility of new lungs for Erin is equaled by the fear of the unknown. I realized last night that when Kahlan asks me this question in a month, I’m not going to have an answer for her. It will be several months before Erin and I will be ‘home’ again and I’m unsure how often Paul and the kids will make the trip to St. Louis. It’s hard enough for me as an adult to try and comprehend this new living arrangement and all of the hurdles ahead of us but to explain it to a 4, 6 and 13-year-old is going to be tricky. The details that we do know are this: Sunday, November 27 Erin and I will move to St. Louis, we will meet with the doctor on Monday and run a few tests, Tuesday we can move into the Ronald McDonald House apartment, and she will officially go on the transplant list Friday, December 2. The next 30 days will no doubt fly by and yet stand still at the same time. Please pray Erin regains some much needed strength and can go home from Children’s soon to enjoy time with family and friends.

One thought on “Home sweet home

  1. Hi Karla, I am ecstatic that Erin has been accepted for transplant. While the road is long I pray for all that the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you to guide you along the way. I pray for your family that will be left behind and strength for all of you to get you through. Erin is strong and I know you are too. And I pray for a family that might struggle with organ donation that if the opportunity arises they may have peace in passing on new life. Love you and God Bless!

    Geralyn

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